I think I'm in love. I wish this pic was as bright and happy as these blocks are in person.
Now that the 30 blocks are done and most of them are up on the design wall, that feeling of these are getting tedious and boring I was beginning to feel every time I looked at those scrappy four patches has flown. I can see myself making another one like this with the left-over four-patches, only the next time ignoring that little voice in my brain that says this colour is too loud and using bright sashing corners - yellow, orange or lime green perhaps... a neon pink, a vivid purple... Maybe a scrappy one using many fabrics of the same colour... as I'm about to start taming the scraps in the scrap bin, I could cut 3.5" squares from whatever colours I choose to use the next time. (Mental note - just remember to stop cutting them when I get to 280 squares.)
After I finished block assembly and pressed them all, I flipped the blocks over to check my seams, I discovered I only had two half flipped seams, and one totally flipped seam. That's miraculous for me, considering how many seams were being sewn over to make 30 blocks. I usually have to spend some time ripping the few stitches that hold the flipped seam and running those bits through the sewing machine again. I've had projects where every single block had to be re-touched.
Fixed those three minor seam issues, then trimmed a few protruding bits off the blocks (I confess I'm not the straightest sewer). Another miraculous happenstance! This is all I had to trim from 30 blocks.
If I hadn't already named it Shady Lanes, I could have named it Happy Frogs. I'm certainly one happy camper (or quilter) at this point. Take a look at this close-up.
And here's another one, only this one looks like he's winking at us.
This is going to end up being 60" x 72" once the 30 blocks are joined. Don't know yet what I want to do for a border. I have severe border disorder issues and difficulties making decisions. Anybody care to share their all-time favourite scrappy border ideas with me?
I'm feeling the love. This is beautiful! Makes me wish I could drop everything and make one right now--you know I've had the pattern on hand for years.
ReplyDeleteWhen a quilt is really scrappy and busy I often use one narrow border and one wider border of contrasting fabrics. I think it gives the eye a place to rest when there is already so much going on in the quilt. And it is fast.
But if you want something more complex, there is always the design you made with the sashing blocks in a recent post. : )
That is a down right gorgeous quilt. Loving the total scappiness of it. Boarder wise I have issue there too. Unless the pattern includes the boarder, I tend to go for the "less is more" theory. I guess that is why so many antque quilts are my favorite.
ReplyDeleteThat is gorgeous! I just out right love the quilt.
ReplyDeleteBorder...I have no idea. Janet's idea sounds good. Maybe an plain inner border and some more four patches for the bigger border (since you happen to have some around...)
I have to admit, I leave the seems alone. Yours will probably lie flatter because you fix them. BTW, it's beautiful - beautifully scrappy! I really do need to start something like this. Too many other projects waiting in line. As for a border - I probably wouldn't border it, but I know I'm in the minority with that opinion.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous! You should be a happy camper with a scrappy beauty like that!
ReplyDeleteFor me, with the strong diagonal "lanes" in the design, I don't see this needing a border. It could just as easily be finished with just a strong binding (maybe the black fabric?) although I would add another column of blocks on the right side to "close" the tan (olive?) on point block centers on that side to balance it with the left.
Don't cha' just love it when the end justifies all agita of the journey to get there?